Cheryl Jacques

Cheryl Jacques is an American attorney, politician, and civil rights leader whose career has included roles in the courtroom, the statehouse, and on the national stage. Before serving six terms in the Massachusetts State Senate, Jacques worked as an assistant district attorney in Middlesex County and as an assistant attorney general in the Trial Bureau of the Attorney General's Office. She was first elected to the Senate at age 29 in a traditionally conservative district, demonstrating her ability to engage with a broad range of constituents. Jacques has also served as an adjunct professor of law at Suffolk University Law School and participated on several state and local boards.

Jacques was the first openly lesbian member of the Massachusetts Senate, coming out during her fourth term and citing the high suicide rate among gay and lesbian teens as part of her motivation. In the Legislature, Jacques was a leader on civil rights and equality, successfully advocating for the inclusion of sexual orientation in the Commonwealth's Hate Crimes Statute. She authored and passed more than 40 pieces of legislation, including the Gun Control Act, the Consumer Protection Act, and the Clergy Abuse Mandatory Reporting Act. Jacques also led a bipartisan coalition to defeat the Defense of Marriage Act in Massachusetts.

Jacques later served as president and executive director of Human Rights Campaign, where she led the organization through the defeat of the Federal Marriage Amendment. She oversaw significant growth in fundraising and membership, managed a record $30 million budget, and increased the organization's diversity and national media presence. Jacques also addressed the Democratic National Convention in this role.

With more than 35 years of experience, Jacques has developed negotiation skills through litigating criminal and civil cases in district, superior, and federal courts, as well as arguing before the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court and the Massachusetts Appeals Court. She has served as an administrative judge at the Department of Industrial Accidents, adjudicating hundreds of workers' compensation cases and mediating complex disputes. Jacques has been a faculty member at Suffolk University Law School, Western New England Law School, and the University of Massachusetts Isenberg School of Management. Throughout her career, Jacques has written and spoken nationally on diversity, civil rights, and politics, establishing her as an authoritative voice on social justice issues.